Another Tool for an Uncertain World
There’s an old question that gets asked in preparedness circles from time to time:
“What’s your SHTF gun?”
It’s usually asked the same way somebody at a cookout might ask what you do for work. Casual. Familiar. But beneath the surface, it’s really a conversation about uncertainty. About the realization that none of us truly know what the future holds anymore.
The truth is, firearms are personal. Very personal. Just like vehicles, tools, or even where you choose to live. There is no perfect answer that fits everyone. What works for one person may not work at all for another. Over the years, my own thoughts on the subject have changed more than once.
At this point in my life, my current setup centers around an AR variant alongside a Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 in 9mm.
Now before somebody says, “An AR isn’t a homestead tool,” let me say this — neither is a fire extinguisher until the day you desperately need one.
We are living through a period where the world feels less predictable by the month. Economic strain. Supply chain issues. Rising crime in some areas. Political tension. Natural disasters. Civil unrest overseas. Maybe none of it directly affects you tomorrow. Hopefully it never does. But preparedness has never been about paranoia. It’s about understanding that bad situations happen fast, and often without warning.
My AR isn’t something pulled off a rack at a big box store. I built it to fit my needs. The upper is from Mid State Firearms with a melonite BCG, mounted on a New Frontier Armory billet lower. It wears a Shockwave brace and a Hypertouch EDT trigger group. Up top is a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot that has simply continued to work year after year. Nothing flashy. Nothing exotic. Just reliable equipment.
The barrel is only 10.5 inches, but accuracy has never been an issue. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to maneuver. More importantly, it has proven dependable. That matters more to me than impressing people online.
One small detail on the rifle usually gets noticed — a strip of duct tape holding an extra CR2032 battery for the optic. That probably tells you more about preparedness than the rifle itself. Redundancy matters. Small things matter.
At the end of the day, my opinion on the “best” firearm has become a lot simpler over the years.
The best gun is the one you actually have with you when you need it.
Not the one sitting in a safe three towns away. Not the one you plan to buy someday. Not the one social media says is perfect.
Just like food storage, medical supplies, backup heat, radios, or learning how to grow your own food, it’s another layer. Another tool. One you hope you never truly need.
But in the kind of world we’re moving into, hoping alone doesn’t feel like much of a plan anymore.
— Jake Martin
Modern Exodus
YouTube Channel: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@ModernExodus26
My 5.56 rifle is a IWI ZION Z15TAC16 purchased back in 2023. The iron sights are Magpul MBUS 3 Sight on the front and rear, the optic is the Vortex Strikefire II Red Dot with the Vortex VMX-3T 3X Magnifier. I also have a FAB Defense PTK-M Combo installed. The sling is a Magpul MS4 Dual QD.
And my shorty version that I run is a PSA 7.5 inch Pistol-Length 300AAC Blackout 1/8 Phosphate 7" Hex M-Lok Upper running the X2 Dev Group Jackal Charging Handle and the BCG is the BCG-300-4853 from Delta Team Tactical. I changed the grip out to the BCM Grip Mod 3 and the foregrip is the AR*chitect AR Platform Direct Lock MLok Angled Foregrip from Bowden Tactical. The iron sights are Magpul MBUS 3 on the front and rear and the optic is the Vortex Crossfire CF-RD2. This little son a buck gets toasty on the fingers after a mag or two.
Much better to have 1 or 2 and not need them than to need one and not have it. Remember the police are at least 15 to 20 minutes away on a good day.